NHL players to take part in Olympics

The NHL is set to return to the Olympics in Beijing this winter after reaching an agreement with international officials, though the league and players have the opportunity to withdraw if pandemic circumstances warrant.

The NHL, its players’ union, the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation struck a deal Friday that will put the best players in the world back on sports’ biggest stage in February after they skipped the 2018 Pyeongchang

Games.

“I’m really, really happy,” IIHF president Rene Fasel said. “When you see the last was 2014, and they would wait until 2026, so you have 12 years in between — that means we have a generation of hockey players that would not be able to play in the Olympics.”

The NHL plans to punish unvaccinated players more harshly if they test positive for the coronavirus as part of new protocols for this season.

Teams reportedly will be able to suspend unvaccinated players without pay if they cannot participate in hockey activities as part of the protocols. Fully vaccinated players will have any coronavirus-positive test results treated as hockey injuries and still be paid. Coaches and team staff are required to be fully vaccinated.

Senators forward Drake Batherson agreed to a six-year, $29.85 million contract. Batherson, 23, had 17 goals and 17 assists in 56 games for Ottawa last season . ... The Red Wings signed Filip Hronek to a three-year, $13.2 million deal. Hronek, 23, put up 26 points last season with Detroit.